Confrontation in the Gulf; Transcript of President's Address to Joint Session of Congress

Published: September 12, 1990

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11—
They are some of the finest men and women of the United States of America. And they're doing one terrific job.

These valiant Americans were ready at a moment's notice to leave their spouses, and their children to serve on the front line halfway around the world. And they remind us who keeps America strong. They do.

In the trying circumstances of the gulf, the morale of our servicemen and women is excellent. In the face of danger, they are brave; they're well trained and dedicated.

A soldier, Pfc. Wade Merritt of Knoxville, Tenn., now stationed in Saudi Arabia, wrote his parents of his worries, his love of family and his hope for peace. But Wade also wrote: ''I am proud of my country and its firm stance against inhumane aggression. I am proud of my army and its men. . . . I am proud to serve my country.''

Well, let me just say, Wade, America is proud of you, and is grateful to every soldier, sailor, marine and airman serving the cause of peace in the Persian Gulf.

I also want to thank the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Powell; the Chiefs here tonight; our commander in the Persian Gulf, General Schwarzkopf; and the men and women of the Department of Defense. What a magnificent job you all are doing, and thank you very, very much. I'm grateful to you.

I wish I could say that their work is done. But we all know it is not.

So if there ever was a time to put country before self and patriotism before party, time is now. Let me thank all Americans, especially those here in this chamber tonight, for your support for our armed forces and for their mission. That support will be even more important in the days to come.

Objectives in the Gulf

So tonight, I want to talk to you about what is at stake, what we must do together to defend civilized values around the world and maintain our economic strength at home.

Our objectives in the Persian Gulf are clear, our goals defined and familiar:

* Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait completely, immediately and without condition.

* Kuwait's legitimate Government must be restored.

* The security and stability of the Persian Gulf must be assured.

* And American citizens abroad must be protected.

These goals are not ours alone. They have been endorsed by the U.N. Security Council five times in as many weeks. Most countries share our concern for principle. And many have a stake in the stability of the Persian Gulf. This is not, as Saddam Hussein would have it, the United States against Iraq. It is Iraq against the world.

As you know, I've just returned from a very productive meeting with Soviet President Gorbachev. And I am pleased that we are working together to build a new relationship. In Helsinki, our joint statement affirmed to the world our shared resolve to counter Iraq's threat to peace. Let me quote: ''We are united in the belief that Iraq's aggression must not be tolerated. No peaceful international order is possible if larger states can devour their smaller neighbors.''

Clearly, no longer can a dictator count on East-West confrontation to stymie concerted United Nations action against aggression. A new partnership of nations has begun. And we stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf, as grave as it is, also offers a rare opportunity to move toward an historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times, our fifth objective - a new world order - can emerge: a new era, freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice, and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, east and west, north and south, can prosper and live in harmony.

A hundred generations have searched for this elusive path to peace, while a thousand wars raged across the span of human endeavor. And today that new world is struggling to be born. A world quite different from the one we've known. A world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle. A world in which nations recognize the shared responsibility for freedom and justice. A world where the strong respect the rights of the weak.

A Shared Vision

This is the vision that I shared with President Gorbachev in Helsinki. He, and other leaders from Europe, the gulf and around the world understand that how we manage this crisis today could shape the future for generations to come.

The test we face is great - and so are the stakes. This is the first assault on the new world that we seek, the first test of our mettle. Had we not responded to this first provocation with clarity of purpose, if we do not continue to demonstrate our determination, it would be a signal to actual and potential despots around the world.

America and the world must defend common vital interests. And we will. America and the world must support the rule of law. And we will. America and the world must stand up to aggression. And we will.

And one thing more: In the pursuit of these goals, America will not be intimidated.

Vital issues of principle are at stake. Saddam Hussein is literally trying to wipe a country off the face of the earth. We do not exaggerate. Nor do we exaggerate when we say: Saddam Hussein will fail.